My 6-week-old baby is mostly breastfed and hasn’t pooped in 3 days. His stomach is soft but he’s grunting and crying. Are there natural ways to help him poop?

For mostly breastfed babies, going a few days without poop can be normal if the baby is otherwise comfortable. Moms suggest gentle exercises, tummy massage, and checking with the pediatrician if it goes beyond a week or baby seems in real pain.

Community Answers from Moms(5)

Here's what moms in our community shared based on their own experience.

1. 1

   Some moms apply a small amount of hing around the navel and do slow bicycle leg exercises to help move gas and stimulate a bowel movement.

2. 2

   Gentle bicycle exercises in the morning and light tummy time can help relieve gas and make it easier for baby to poop.

3. 3

   Moms were told by their pediatricians that for such small, breastfed babies, pooping once in 7 days or several times a day can both be normal, as long as baby is active, feeding, and not in distress.

4. 4

   If baby is arching his back, pulling his legs to his chest, and crying a lot, some moms use gas drops prescribed by their pediatrician.

5. 5

   In the US, many parents are advised to watch for soft belly, normal pee output, and overall behavior. If there’s no poop for more than a week or baby seems very uncomfortable, they call their pediatrician or nurse hotline for guidance instead of trying home remedies alone.